Ironing machine



1,641,315 p 1927" T. N. BROWN IRONING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l VENTOR 723W BY @1M Mf TTOR NEY T. N. BROWN -IRONING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m %QINVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Septhfi, 192 7.

HNITEDs TATES AT T-p.apnea THOMAS N. BROWN, 'or ron'r WAYNE, INDIANA, Ass'Ie on'ro' urENsILs OOEPANY or roar WAYNE, INDIANA, A CORPORATIONDF INDIAN I IRONING MACHINE.

application filed October 23, 1925. "Serial No. 64,317..

, This inventionrelates to improvements inironing' machines of that class generally known in domestic use andin which a revolving ,feed roller is used in conjunction with a revoluble heated smoothin roller, and the object thereof is to provi e in an ironing machine a feed roller and gear mechanism therefor in conjunction wlth an admember so arranged that the feed roller, when thrown in gear will move into bearing relation with the smoothing roller with more or less force accordingly as the friction member isadjusted, and so justable friction that when the feed roller is thrown out 0 gear it will automatically move from operative position of its own weight leaving a clearance between the rollers. Another object of the improvement is to construct the gear mechanism by which the feed roller 1s actuated so as to permit of a wide range 0 movement of the feed roller from the smoothing roller while in gear in order to accommodate thick pieces of goods'between the' rollers. I I

These objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ironing machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the feed roller with its support and the friction member;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the expanding band;

' Fig. 4 is an end view proj Fig. 2; I

, Fi 5 is a side view of a yielding prop for the %racket in which the feed roller is mounted;

Fig. 6 is a front end view of the head of the machine, the .feed roller and its supporting bracket being omitted; and

Fig. '7 is a plan view projected from Fig. 6 and in which is included a fragmentary part of the feed roller and its support.

The characters appearing in the descrip tion refer to parts shown in the drawings and designatedthereon by corresponding characters.

The machine here shown as an example of the invention comprises a stand 1 having at ected from its upper end a gear case 2 in which is rotat-v ably mounted two drive shafts 3 and 4 that are spaced apart and extend through the front of the case 2 in parallel relation with each other, and which shafts are rotated, in

1' any suitab e type.

. thereon a coverin the directions indicated by arrows respective,- ly, by any suitable gearing (not shown) con.-

A cylindrical smoothin roller 6 has fixed connection at one end W151 .the. driveshaft 3 and is supported at its opposite endby a stub-shaft 3 that extends in alinement with tamed in the gear case the geari-n ybein ac. .tuated'by a pull 5 A, g g I? the drive shaft 3 and is'supported by an I overhanging bracket 6 .on the gear case 2, Sflld smoothing roller being rotated by thedrive-shaft 3. A. hood 7 positioned over the smoothin roller and spaced therefrom is f supporte by said bracket and tends to conserve the heat of said roller. The roller may be heated electrically or by a gas burner in the usual manner, means for which are not herein disclosed as such means are not pecul} iar to the resent invention and may be 0 The particular features of the invention consist in the means for infparting movement from the drive shaft 4 to the feed roller and for throwing the feed roller into and out of gear, and the means by which the feed roller isapplied with more or less pressure to the smoothing member.

Extendin from the front of the gear case, parallel wit said drive shafts it a stationary supporting rod 8 upon which is loosely mounted a tube 9 having at each end thereof an arm 10 and 11 respectively, said tube and arms constituting a rocking member.

A prop 8' is secured at one on to the stand 1 and 'at its opposite end to the rod 8, there being an open1ng9' i-n-the tube 9 ofthe rocking member to admit of connection of the prop with the rod.-

- In the outer ends of the arms is revolubl mounted a feed shaft 12, and upon whic shaft is mounted a feed roller 13 having manner hereinafter described. I a

The inner end of the feed roller 13 has a flanged spider 16, and within the flange of said spider is loosely positioned an expansion band 17, each end of whichhas an in-' wardly extending lug 18, which lugs are spaced apart. The arm 10 has a pendant 14 of suitable padding material. Upon t e inner end of the shaft 12 is fixed a pinion '15 that is actuated in th branch 19in which is mounted an oscillatable member 20 that extends between the lugs. 18 on the expansion member and is so shaped that said lugs are spread apart more or less according tothe extent the oscillatable member is adjustably turned. To the outer end of the oscillatable member is secured a lever 21 that is connected with a rod 22 which extends loosely through a lug 23 on stops to prevent outward displacement of the expanding band.

it of the feed roller when thrown out of the arm 10, the rod being threaded to receive an adjusting wheel 24. The wheel bears against said lug and the oscillatable member is actuated accordinglyas said wheel is turned and the band 17 1s expanded so asv to bear with corresponding force against the flange of the spider; The oscillata'ble 'mem-' ber also-prevents turnin movement of the expanding band with t e spider which is part of and revolves with the roller 13.

A series of pegs25 on the arm 10 serve as i the lower end of the branch 19, and has-at each end a perforated lug 28 through which loosely extends a rod 29, one end of which is pivoted to a collar 30 that is fixed on the race'8'. Upon the rod 29, between the lugs 28 is disposed a compression spring 31, one end of which bears against the outermost lug, and the inner end of which bears against a washer 32 that is engaged by a cotter pin 33 in the rod'so that the plate has movement on said rod in one direction restrained by of rotation. A tension spring 43 is secured said spring. The strength of the spring 31 is such as to counteract the major portion of the weight of the roller and the assemblage of parts connected therewith which weight causes the rocking member, when the feed roller is out of gear, to swing downwardly and com ress said spring. Also, upon the rod29 adjacent the roller 30 is provided a, cushion or spring stop 34 that serves to limit movement of the plate 26. on said rod and consequently the downward swin of the rocking member and roller mounte thereon.

Upon a pivot 35 on the gear case is mounted a swinging plate 36 having thereon a stud 37 u on which is loosely mounted a pinion 38 t at is actuated by adriving pinion 39 fixed on the end of the shaft 4 when said plate 36 is in operating position and is disengaged therefrom when said plate is swung out of operating position. Upon the stu 37 is also loosely mounted a drag'pinion 40 that is actuated by pins 41 projecting from the pinion 38 into openings 42 in the drag pinion, said openings being 'sufliciently larger than said pins as to admit of play heat one end to the drag pinion and at its other end to one of the pins 41 and acts to take up the play between said pinions.

The drag pinion 40 has actuating relat on member is thereb one end with the case 2 and at its opposite I end with the plate 36, and tends to hold said plate out of operating position, and a toggle 45, operated by a handle 46 is provided to move the plate 36 into and hold it in operating position opposed by the action of'the spring 44. I

A supplementary means of movingthe plate 36 into operating position is provided, and consists of a block 47 mounted upon a pivot 48 on the case 2, which plate haspivoted thereto a finger 49 that bears against a projection 50 on the plate 36 and lifts the plate into operating osition when the block 47 is raised. The. nger 49 has a jaw 51 that has contact with the adjacent end of the block so that its swinging movement in one direction-"relative to said block is thereby limited. The block 47 rests upon a lever 52 that is actuated by a pedal member 53 arranged in the stand to be depressed by the foot of the operator. When the pedal is depressed, the plate is moved into operating position through the expedient of the toggle formed by the .block and finger, and when the pedal is released the plate is moved out of operating position by the spring 44.

Thus, the feed roller may be thrown into v and out of gear by foot operation. v

In the operation of the invention continuous motion is applied to the pulley 5 by any suitable means such as an electric motor 54 which ma be conveniently mounted in connecti'on withthe stand 1 and controlled by a switch 55 on the case 2, and the smoothing rotated accordingly. Heat is then applie to the smoothing roller. and the goods to be ironed are introduced between t e feed roller and smoothing member in the usual manner. By depressing the pedal 46 the plate 36 is moved into operating position so that the pinion 38 meshes with the pinion 39 and the pinion 40 becomes enmeshed with the pinion 15 on the roller shaft causing the feed roller to'rotate.

expanding member is caused to bear against the flange of the spider in the feed roller with more or less force according to the adjustment of said wheel and the rotation of the feed roller is thereby frictionally resisted so that the torque of the drag pinion 38 which is meshed with the pinion 15 on the feed roller shaft elevates the pinion 15 and parts associated therewith on the rock- By manipulating the adjusting wheel 24 the ment to said pinion andfeed roller'operatively connected therewith. In this manner, while rotating, the feed roller is brought 7 into bearing contact with the smoothing-member more or less forcibly according to the adjustment of the hand wheel 24, and the pressure applied to the goods passin between the feed roller and smoothing ro ler may be adjustably varied at will. I

However, varying thickne:ses-of the goods passing, between the feed roller and the smoothing member does not materially alter the pressure applied to the goods as the rockingmember swings downwardly to accommodate the goods according to its thickness, and therefore, the action of the smoothing roller upon the goods is maintained with uniformity irrespective of the thickness of the goods.

i A feature of the invention is in the manner in which the gears, through which movement is imparted to the feed roller, are supported and by ,which parallelism of their,

axis is maintained, which maintenance isessential to the proper, working and durability of the gearsfi Also, the present invention contemplates an improved mounting for the rocking member whereby the feed roller on said member is sustained with its axis in proper parallelism with thatof the driving gear.

What I claim is 1. In an ironing machine havinga'smoothng member and a supporting stand includmg a gear case and a gear mechanism for driving the smoothing member, a driving pinion actuated by said mechanism; a plate pivotally supportedlon said case; a pair of axially alined gears in supported vconnection with said plate, one of which gears is engageable with said driving pinion and being provided with means for limited rota-- tive movement relative to its companion gear; a spring actuating said plate tending to disengage said pair of gears from said' driving pinion; a toggle member provided with means for limited toggle movement" operable to move said, plate against the tension of said spring to throw said gears into engaged relation with said driving pinion; a pedal mechanism for actuating said toggle member; a support including a rod and prop therefor connected together each having fixed connection with said stand; a swingable frame on said rod; a feed roller including a shaft therefor mounted in the frame, said shaft having a gear engageable with said companion gear when the driving pin-' ion is engaged with the other of said pair of gears; a flanged member in said feed roller; an expansion member floating in said flange member; adjusting means supported in said frame having actuating engagement with said expansion member; a yielding prop in connection with said swingable frame having a spring operable, to partlally but not completely counterbalance said frame-and having a seeond spring operable to limit downward movement of said frame;

plate independent of the former toggle member. v

2. In an ironing machine having asmoothing member and a feed roller in co-operable relation therewith, a swingable member sup.- porting said feed roller; an expansion memand a hand operated'toggle having actuating relation with said pivotally mounted v. Ad

ber floating in said feed roller; an adjusting mean": supported in said frame having engagement With said expansion member; a yielding prop in connection with said swingable frame having a spring operable to partially but not completely counterbalance said frame and having a second spring independent'of the former spring operable tolimit downward movement of said frame;

a gearing operable to rotate said smoothing sion member in said feed roller; an adjustroller.

4. In an ironing machine havinga smoothing member and feed roller in co-operable relation therewith, a frame supporting said feed roller and having limited swinging movement operable to move the feed roller into engagement with the smoothing member; a floating expansion member in said feed roller; an adjusting means on the frame engaging the expansion member; a gearing operable to rotate said feed roller; means to actuate said frame more or less positively according to the adjustment of the expansion member; and means for throwing said gearing out .of engagement with said feed roller. Y t

5. In an ironing machine-having a smoothing member and feed roller in co-operable relation therewith, a swingable frame supporting said feed roller; means operable to raise said feed roller into operable relation p a spring operable to partial? r ing member and feed roller in co-operable with said smoothing member; a yielding prop in connection with said framehaving pletely counterbalance said ame and having a second spring operable to limlt downward movement of said frame; means hav-' ing frictional engagement with said. feed roller operable to actuate said frame; and a gearing for actuating said feed roller.

In an ironing machine having a smoothrelation therewith, a frame supporting said feed roller and having limited movement;

means operable to move. said feed roller into but not com-.

frame roller.

7. In'an ironing machine having a smoothing member and feed roller in co-operable relation therewith, a support for said feed roller having limited movement; means 0perable to lift said feed roller into engagement with the smoothing member; means actuated by said feed roller operable to actuatesaid support; a driving pinion; a second pinion mounted in connection with the feed-roller; a motion transmitting gearing 'mounted so as to have movement in an arc and a gearing for actuating said feed of a circle and to have engagement with said pinions; and means for moving said gearing into and out of engagement with said pin-v 

